Cause for some excitement we’re sure you’ll agree, this digital-only single is the first indication of what’s to be expected from Christian Fennesz’s new album (titled Black Sea). The beginnings of ‘Saffron Revolution’ suggests that the core components of that singular, instantly identifiable Fennesz sound are all still very much in place: the digitally pulverised guitar melodies, the banks of sculpted fuzztones and most of all, the feeling of fluidity and weightlessness that seems to have defined all his post-Endless Summer output. There’s so much depth to the production here, and despite sounding so alien and otherworldly, the various layers of instrumentation make for a piece of music that’s got plenty of substance. The track seems to swell up to a near-overwhelming point of crescendo, all driven by a barrage of synth strings that sound more like a jet engine at full thrust than anything else. So it’s neither a major departure from what’s come before, nor a piece of music that screams ‘single’ in any conventional sense, but the sheer beauty and power of ‘Saffron Revolution’s sound design suggests Black Sea is very much on course for being one of 2008’s key releases. Immense.

Pitchfork (US):

… this lead track certainly keeps expectations very high. Beginning with some of Fennesz’ trademark neo-industrial gurgles, it folds in bits of guitar and strings rather beautifully, creating a cluster of sound that trembles, seeming to wait for something. And that something moves in gradually in the form of a massive cloud of distortion, a fine white mist of harmonics mixed with a dark undercurrent of rumbling bass. The tension between these elements is so well balanced, each individual element remaining in the mix even as the sound field becomes impossibly dense, that it’s no surprise that it takes a while to get it just right. And as it begins to draw down about five minutes in, you can’t help but wish that another full Fennesz album was following behind it. Soon. [Mark Richardson]

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